Los Angeles County, California
Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on W swell at 5s with 8mph SSE winds.
Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on W swell at 5s with 8mph SSE winds.
Best window·Sunday 12PM–3PM·3-4ft·Fair - Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Lunada Bay, Los Angeles County, California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Thu, Sep 3: 1–2ft, 12s period, rated Poor. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on W swell at 5s with 8mph SSE winds. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Fri, Sep 4: 2–3ft, 18s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on SSW swell at 18s with light winds out of the SE. The W wind kicks in by afternoon — 11mph and very poor by then.
Sat, Sep 5: 2–3ft, 16s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on SSW swell at 16s with barely a breath of wind. The WSW wind kicks in by afternoon — 10mph and poor by then.
Sun, Sep 6: 3–4ft, 14s period, rated Fair - Good. Aim for the middle of the day — 3-4ft on S swell at 14s with calm winds. It's a bit wonky first thing but settles down.
Mon, Sep 7: 3–4ft, 13s period, rated Poor - Fair. Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 3-4ft with light winds out of the W. Morning is a bit bumpy but things clean up by late morning. Don't wait too long — the wind comes back up after lunch.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Poor today — get one free email when Lunada Bay turns Good.
Check Lunada Bay from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Lunada Bay is one of the best reef breaks in California — a powerful right-hander on the Palos Verdes Peninsula that holds waves from 4 to 30 feet. Historically guarded by the notorious Lunada Bay Boys, whose decades of intimidation and violence against visitors led to lawsuits settled in 2024. Access requires descending a cliff trail. The wave is bowly and powerful on WNW winter swells. Despite the settlement, approach with awareness.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Lunada Bay is 1-2ft with a 10.4s swell period. Wind is S at 8mph. Conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Lunada Bay is 1-2ft, produced by a 1.5ft SSW primary swell at 10s, a 1.5ft W wind swell swell at 5s, a 1.1ft SSW tertiary swell at 16s. Breaking wave height is the actual rideable wave size at the shore — calculated from offshore swell data using this spot's coastal bathymetry — not the raw buoy reading.
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf Lunada Bay is Sunday from 12 PM to 3 PM with 3ft waves, a 14.1s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Lunada Bay works best with a WNW swell and E winds. Offshore winds groom the face of the wave, while onshore winds turn it sloppy. Cross-offshore conditions usually produce the cleanest shape.
Tide plays a big role at Lunada Bay. Mid tide works for most beach breaks, while reef and point breaks often prefer higher or lower stages. Use the tide chart above to line up your session with the swell peak.
Lunada Bay is a reef with a rock bottom, suited to advanced surfers. Lunada Bay is one of the best reef breaks in California — a powerful right-hander on the Palos Verdes Peninsula that holds waves from 4 to 30 feet. Historically guarded by the notorious Lunada Bay Boys, whose decades of intimidation and violence against visitors led to lawsuits settled in 2024. Access requires descending a cliff trail. The wave is bowly and powerful on WNW winter swells. Despite the settlement, approach with awareness.
The prime season at Lunada Bay is winter, when swell direction, wind patterns, and water temps line up most consistently. Outside the peak season you can still score, but you'll need to watch the forecast closely for the right windows.
Common hazards at Lunada Bay include sharp reef, cliff access, powerful waves, historical localism (settled 2024), long paddle out. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Lunada Bay forecast uses NOAA GFS and other weather models combined with spot-specific bathymetry to calculate breaking wave heights. Short-range (1-3 day) forecasts are most reliable; extended forecasts show general trends. We also verify our offshore swell predictions against NOAA buoy measurements daily — see our accuracy page for those swell-verification metrics (buoys measure open-water swell, not breaking surf size).
